Double tapping a pretty bowl is just a few degrees shy of scarfing it down, right? We did both with this beautiful rice pudding recipe from one of our newest Instagram crushes, Christin of @tinytine21. The self-titled “bowl enthusiast” caught our attention when she launched her gorgeous feed and held it steady with her recipe for strawberry coconut nice cream. The spiced rice pudding recipe below is just as pretty, just as easy and offers health benefits you’d never expect form something this cozy…

I know, I know, rice pudding does not sound sexy but I was looking for an alternative to porridge. I have seen so many overnight oats recipes all over the Internet and I was reading about the benefits of rice. I guess not many people are aware, rice is so good for you! Also, for wintertime, warm comfort-food bowls are essential.

Rice provides fast and instant energy, regulates and improves bowel movements, stabilizes blood sugar levels, and slows down the aging process, while also providing an essential source of vitamin B1 to the body. Other benefits include its ability to boost skin health, increase the metabolism, aid in digestion, reduce high blood pressure, help weight-loss efforts, improve the immune system and provide protection against dysentery, cancer and heart disease.

Spiced Rice Pudding

Ingredients:

1 cup of rice (sushi rice or any rice that is sticky, just not basmati rice) 4 cups of non-gmo soy milk (or any other milk alternative – I used half vanilla, half natural soy milk) 1/2 tsp cinnamon (or more – I love cinnamon so I put some more in) 1-2 Tbsp maple syrup (or more, to make it sweeter)

To garnish: figs, berries, almonds, stewed cherries – but the possibilities are endless!

Directions:

Heat the milk on medium high and stir in the rice. Set temperature to medium and let it cook for 25 minutes. Stir every 3-4 minutes and a bit more towards the end because it burns easily. Garnish with toppings of you choice!

The rice pudding stores well for a few days. Eating it cool tastes fantastic too.